Hello readers! Divisional weekend is over and the National Football League's version of the Final Four is set. We will go over how the four teams got there as well as an NFL 100 spotlight on the great Jim Brown. Let's get to work!
NFL 100: A Spotlight
By the time you're 29 years old, you've got a career set, possibly married with a few kids on the way. When Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown walked away from the game at age 29, he felt he had no more left to accomplish. Who could blame him?
James Nathaniel Brown was born in St. Simons, Georgia on February 17th, 1936. He was the son of a professional boxer and a homemaker. His childhood was that of self-reliance as he was raised by his grandmother in the island of St. Simons, off the coast of the state of Georgia. He grew up unaffected by racism that much of the mainland would experience during that time.
He would move to Manhasset, New York at the age of eight with his mother where he would attend high school at Manhasset, playing football and basketball, and excelling at both. Brown set records in basketball, including 38 points per game, a record that stood until future Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski would break it.
He chose to go upstate to Syracuse University for college. Like high school, Brown would excel in track, basketball, as well as lacrosse. In fact, he would score 43 goals in 10 games for Syracuse in his senior year. Ultimately, it would be football where he would choose his career path.
Ironically, the Cleveland Browns selected Jim Brown with the 6th overall pick in the 1957 draft. His greatness showed against the Los Angeles Rams, rushing for 237 yards, a record that stood for 14 years, and a rookie record that stood for 40 years. He continued his onslaught on the record books.
In 1958, he rushed for 1,527 yards in a 12-game season. The record broke Steve Van Buren's 1,146 yards set in 1949. He scored 17 touchdowns that season and the 2nd closest was Raymond Berry who had nine. Jim Brown would win his first of three NFL MVP awards throughout his career.
In 1964, Jim Brown helped the Cleveland Browns win the NFL championship over the Baltimore Colts. He rushed for 1,446 yards with seven rushing touchdowns that season. The Cleveland Browns haven't won a championship since.
He would win his 3rd MVP in 1965, compiling 1,544 yards with 17 touchdowns scored. Not also to mention his longest run that season was from 67 yards. Much to many people's surprise, Jim Brown retired after the 1965 season at the ripe age of 29.
Jim Brown helped set the standard for running backs in the NFL. His speed and agility matched only by his toughness and strong upper body strength. His 104.3 career rushing yards per game is an NFL record that still stands to this day. He led the league in rushing eight times while becoming the first NFL player to rush for 10,000 career yards. While he last played over 50 years ago, his contribution to the NFL will never be forgotten.
Divisional Recap
Minnesota Vikings 10, San Francisco 49ers 27: TW: 49ers; CV: Vikings
The good news: the Vikings offensive coordinator is going to Cleveland. The bad news: Kirk Cousins will likely have to learn a new system. Kirk Cousins finished the game with 172 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Dalvin Cook wouldn't get much on the ground as he mustered only 18 yards. Jimmy Garoppolo threw the ball for 131 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Tevin Coleman ran teh ball for 105 yards with two touchdowns, getting leading rusher status for the game. The 49ers defense held the Vikings to seven first downs. Pretty impressive. San Francisco moves on to host the NFC Championship game on Sunday night.
There's bound to be upsets in the Divisional round but that was a shocker. Ryan Tannehill threw the ball for 88 yards with two touchdowns, while running for 13 yards in the game with a rushing touchdown. Derrick Henry would throw a 3-yard pass for a touchdown while getting 195 yards in the game. Lamar Jackson was really a one-man show in the game for Baltimore, throwing for 365 yards with a touchdown with two picks. Jackson also ran for 143 yards in the game. Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards would only muster 22 and 20 yards respectively. Ravens defense and the rest of the offense failed to show up. Tennessee moves on to play on the road against the Chiefs.
All-time series: tied at 12-12
Houston Texans 31, Kansas City 51: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
By the end of the 1st quarter, it was 21-0 Texans. At halftime, it was 28-24 Chiefs. DeShaun Watson threw for 388 yards with two touchdowns. Watson also ran for 37 yards with a touchdown while Carlos Hyde ran for 44 yards. Patrick Mahomes threw the ball for 321 yards with five touchdown passes. He was the leading rusher for the Chiefs with 53 yards. Damien Williams also got 47 yards with two touchdowns on the ground. The momentum shifter was the bad call by Bill O'Brien to go for it on 4th down in your own territory. The move should seriously cost him his job but no word yet if he will still be employed. Kansas City moves on to host the AFC championship game against the Titans on Sunday afternoon.
All-time series: Chiefs lead 7-5
Seattle Seahawks 23, Green Bay Packers 28: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
The win was ugly but that's really the story of the season for the Packers. Russell Wilson threw for 277 yards with a touchdown while rushing for 64 yards. Marshawn Lynch couldn't get a lot going on the ground as he finished with 26 yards rushing but did get two touchdowns on the ground. Aaron Rodgers threw for 243 yards with two touchdowns, certainly vintage Rodgers. Aaron Jones was good in the ground game as he ran for 62 yards with two touchdowns. Offense puts up enough points while the defense does the rest, not a bad formula. Seattle had a good season with a great receiving corp potential in DK Metcalf. Green Bay heads west to battle the 49ers in the NFC championship game.
All-time series: Packers lead 14-9
See you guys on Thursday/Friday for the Conference Championship Game picks!
Hello readers! The Divisional round of the playoffs is almost here. One of my favorite weekends in the NFL calendar. It's the David vs Goliath, the battle tested vs the rested, if you make it past this weekend, you're one game away from going to the Super Bowl. In this post, I'll talk about the great Jerry Rice in the NFL 100 spotlight and my picks for the weekend's games. Let's get to work!
NFL 100: A Spotlight
The history of the NFL has had many great names. Many of them dominated in eras where offense was subpar compared to the defense, and vice versa. Only one player in the history of the game dominated from the first snap to the last snap of his career. He played from 1985 to 2004 on three teams. His statistics are records and the 2nd closest player is nowhere near him. He is arguably the greatest player in NFL history, Jerry Rice.
Jerry Rice was born on October 13th, 1962 in Starkville, Mississippi. He was the son of a brick mason. He would attend high school at B.L. Moore High School in Oktoc, Mississippi.
He wouldn't start playing football until his sophomore year. He wanted to play the game in his freshman year but his mother denied the request. After an incident of Rice being truant, the school principal contacted the school's head coach about Rice's speed and was allowed to join the team. Rice would also excel at track and field and basketball.
He attended college at Mississippi Valley State University for four seasons. He quickly became the standout receiver on the Delta Devils, gaining the nickname "World" for how he could catch anything thrown to him. He also set a single-game record for catching 24 passes in a game against Southern University in 1983.
His play in college gained the attention of many scouts but both the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys wanted to draft him. On Draft Day, the 49ers traded two picks to New England for the Patriots first-round choice. Dallas held the 17th pick in the first round. With the draft trade the 49ers selected Rice at pick #16. The Cowboys missed out on him by that much.
Jerry Rice wouldn't take long to impress his team and the rest of the NFL. He was particularly effective in a 10 catch, 241 yard receiving performance against the Los Angeles Rams. Despite early struggles like dropping man catches, Rice earned the NFC Offensive Rookie Of The Year award in his rookie year.
Some of his best football came in the biggest game of all. He was part of three Super Bowl teams with the 49ers in 1988, 1989 and 1994. He won Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XXIII.
When he retired, he set career records in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. His 1,549 receptions, 22,895 receiving yards, and 197 touchdowns are all NFL records and no one has come close to it. What really truly made him great was his YAC (Yards After Catch). It was that that made him truly great. He was a great runner with a great catching ability. Arguably the greatest of all time.
Divisional Picks
The Divisional Playoff weekend starts in Santa Clara, California, and ends in Green Bay, Wisconsin. NBC and CBS will have games shown on Saturday and CBS and FOX will have games on Sunday. Let's get to the picks!
Minnesota Vikings (10-6) @ San Francisco 49ers (13-3) (NBC): TW: 49ers; CV: Vikings
The Vikings beat the Saints in the Wild Card round and the 49ers were on a bye last week. The weekend starts with a pretty intriguing game. On paper, it seems that the 49ers should get a win as they do have a better offense in my opinion but their defense is suspect in comparison against the Vikings defense. History should offer a warning to the 49ers as the Vikings once beat the #1 seed 49ers once in the 1987 playoffs (Vikings also beat the Saints on the road as well). Could Stephon Diggs put up Anthony Carter type numbers in the game? Its a possiblity. Its also possible that Adam Thielen could be out for the Vikings in the game as he is questionable. Minnesota will also be without Mackensie Alexander for this game but could return to play in the next game should Minnesota advance. I feel the more rested team will get the win as I tend to like the 49ers running game as a whole with Raheem Mostert, Matt Breida, Deebo Samuel, and Tevin Coleman. I think the home team will win on solid defense but I can't stress enough how much of an upset this will be if history repeats itself.
The Titans beat the Patriots in the Wild Card game and the Ravens were on a bye last week. Mark Ingram is unlikely to play in the game which means much of the workload will fall on Gus Edwards to get the Ravens a win. The Titans could make this a very interesting game with Derrick Henry as running back. If the Titans can control the clock and keep the Ravens offense off the field, this could be a very wild game. Ryan Tannehill is a decent quarterback but I can't think of him having a big game in this one. I'd be surprised if the Titans win this game. Lamar Jackson isn't 40 years old after all.
The Texans beat the Bills in the Wild Card game while the Chiefs were on a bye last week. Houston barely managed to beat a team that shot themselves in the foot in the 2nd half last week. Quite honestly the Texans offense outside of DeShaun Watson needs to play better. He pretty much saved your butts last week. The same in general goes to Patrick Mahomes. He needs to put up better stats than the past few weeks, at least with more passing yards. I like the Chiefs offense a bit more than the Texans offense and in terms of defense I like the Chiefs offense a smidge better than the Texans as they have been playing better as well. I'll take KC.
Seattle Seahawks (11-5) @ Green Bay Packers (13-3) (FOX): TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
The Seahawks beat the Eagles in the Wild Card game while the Packers were on a bye last week. Out of the teams that had a bye last week, Green Bay is probably the most vulnerable of being a one-and-done. The running game is capable of putting up numbers and Aaron Rodgers is good in the playoffs but which of his wide outs are going to step up and put up yardage. Outside of Davante Adams, who can Rodgers rely on? I feel the Packers defense will get tired of the offense going three and out in the game. Seattle has a running game and a capable receiving corp to get them far. If the Packers can't get to Russell Wilson then this game will be very much in Seattle's favor. I hope I'm wrong but I can't trust the Packers offense to put up more points than Seattle. Definitely hope that I'm wrong.
See you guys on Monday for the Divisional round recap.
Hello readers! Eight teams entered into Wild Card weekend and four escaped to move on to next weekend's Divisonal playoff game. The post will have an NFL 100 spotlight on the 1974 Divisional playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders, also known as "The Sea Of Hands," as well as a recap of the Wild Card games. Let's get to work!
NFL 100: A Spotlight
Very few playoff games in NFL history had hype. Such hype came as surprise to some, while such games had so much hype that they would be called "Super Bowl 8 1/2." One such game would would be forever be called "The Sea Of Hands." The Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins would meet in one of the greatest games in NFL history.
The two teams had known each other very well. In 1973, the Raiders won the regular season meeting 12-7, snapping Miami's 18-game winning streak dating back to the beginning of the 1972 season. The two teams would meet again for the AFC Championship game. The Dolphins would exact revenge on the Silver & Black, beating them 27-10 in a dominating effort. The Dolphins would win the Super Bowl that year.
The next year, the two teams wouldn't meet in the regular season but the two would meet in the AFC Divisional round. There was much hype to the game as the media felt that the two teams were the best in the AFC. The game would be dubbed "Super Bowl 8 1/2" since the winner of the game would likely win the Super Bowl that year. Should be noted that the Pittsburgh Steelers would face off against the Buffalo Bills that weekend as well.
While I won't discuss the game in detail, it should be noted that this game had six lead changes with one tie. The game ultimately came down to an 8-yard pass from Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler to Clarence Davis that would ultimately give the Raiders the lead and would be the game winning score. Stabler was falling down when he threw the ball to Davis. Clarence Davis had many Dolphins players near him with their hands eyeing for the ball, hence the name "Sea Of Hands."
In the end, the Raiders ended the Dolphins their two-year run as champions. Miami wouldn't reach the playoffs again until the 1978 season. They would lose Larry Czonka and Jim Kiick to the riches of the World Football League. They wouldn't make it back to the Super Bowl until the 1982 season.
For the Raiders, they would move on to play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. It would be ultimately John Madden's praise for the Dolphins and Raiders that would cost them a chance to win. An inspired Steelers team would come into Oakland and beat the Raiders and would kick off their dynasty of the 1970s.
Buffalo will have to wait for another year to get that first playoff win since 1995. Josh Allen threw for 264 yards with zero touchdowns. John Brown would complete a 16-yard pass to Josh Allen for a touchdown. Josh Allen would be the leading rusher as he gained 92 yards for the game. DeShaun Watson would earn his first playoff victory while throwing for 247 yards with a touchdown. Watson would be the leading rusher for the Texans with 55 yards with a touchdown. To be honest, both teams really didn't deserve to win but sadly someone has to end up winning. Houston will go on to play the Chiefs on Sunday.
All-time series: Texans lead 6-4
Tennessee Titans 20, New England 13: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Titans played better than the Patriots. There I said it. Ryan Tannehill finished the game with 72 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. Derrick Henry finished the game with 182 yards with a touchdown. Former Patriot, Logan Ryan, would give the Titans the win off an interception from Tom Brady for a 9-yard return. Tom Brady would throw for 209 yards while throwing said interception. Sony Michel was the leading rusher for the Patriots as he gained 61 yards. Julian Edelman would get 12 yards rushing while scoring a rushing touchdown. As far as Tom Brady's future is concerned, I feel he'll come back, but I don't know if he can get another ring as the Patriots wide receiving corp outside of Edelman is not that great. The Mohammad Sanu Jr trade was somewhat of a dud. Hard to say. Titans move on to take on the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
It was a surprise to some but not necessarily to me. Kirk Cousins threw the ball for 242 yards with a touchdown. That touchdown would ultimately be the game-winning score to Kyle Rudolph in overtime. Dalvin Cook returned to start and had a good game with 94 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Drew Brees threw for 208 yards with a touchdown while throwing an interception. Taysom Hill was the leading rusher for the Saints with 50 yards while Alvin Kamara ran for 21 yards with a touchdown in the game. Hard to say if this is the last chance for the Saints to get another ring but certainly you have to not try to play against the Vikings it seems. Minnesota moves on to take on the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday.
All-time series: Vikings lead 23-12
Seattle Seahawks 17, Philadelphia Eagles 9: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
In his 16 seasons as pro, Josh McCown had not played in a playoff game, he would sadly not get the job done. Russell Wilson threw well in the game with 325 yards with a touchdown. He would also be the leading rusher for the Seahawks with 45 yards. Carson Wentz made his first playoff start in his career. He would ultimately leave the game with a concussion/head injury, with only 3 yards passing. Hardy veteran Josh McCown would take his place and put up 174 yards in the game. Miles Sanders ran the ball for 69 yards in the game. Sadly, Nick Foles couldn't quite save them this time. Seattle goes to Green Bay on Sunday.
All-time series: Seahawks lead 11-7
See you guys on Thursday/Friday for the Divisional picks!
Hello readers! The Wild Card Weekend starts on Saturday. Gone are the pretenders and here come the contenders. This post will have a recap of my predictions that I made back in September and how I fared (which I know isn't looking too well), an NFL 100 Spotlight on the broadcaster Pat Summerall, and my picks for the Wild Card games this weekend. Let's get to work!
Preseason Recap
Before the season started, I made a predictions post on how each team will fare. I also predicted the division winners and who would eventually win the Super Bowl, as well as award winners. I will leave the award winners until probably after the Super Bowl but I'd say most of them are way off (Baker Mayfield for MVP was a bit off I'd say). Here's how I did:
Arizona Cardinals: 4th in NFC West (Correct) Atlanta Falcons: 3rd in NFC South (Incorrect, they did tie with Tampa though) Baltimore Ravens: 3rd in AFC North (Incorrect, probably thought Lamar Jackson would have sophomore jinx I guess) Buffalo Bills: 3rd in AFC East (Incorrect) Carolina Panthers: 2nd in NFC South (Incorrect) Chicago Bears: 2nd in NFC North (Incorrect) Cincinnati Bengals: 4th in AFC North (Correct) Cleveland Browns: 2nd in AFC North (Incorrect) Dallas Cowboys: 1st in NFC East (Incorrect, close but no cigarette) Denver Broncos: 4th in AFC West (Incorrect) Detroit Lions: 4th in NFC North (Correct) Green Bay Packers: 3rd in NFC North (Incorrect, ouch my own team) Houston Texans: 2nd in AFC South (Incorrect) Indianapolis Colts: 1st in AFC South (Incorrect) Jacksonville Jaguars: 3rd in AFC South (Incorrect) Kansas City Chiefs: 1st in AFC West (Correct) Los Angeles Chargers: 2nd AFC West (Incorrect) Los Angeles Rams: 1st in NFC West (Incorrect) Miami Dolphins: 4th in AFC East (Correct) Minnesota Vikings: 1st in NFC North (Incorrect) New England Patriots: 1st in AFC East (Correct) New Orleans Saints: 1st in NFC South (Correct) New York Giants: 3rd in NFC East (Correct) New York Jets: 2nd in AFC East (Correct) Oakland Raiders: 3rd in AFC West (Correct) Philadelphia Eagles: 2nd in NFC East (Incorrect) Pittsburgh Steelers: 1st in AFC North (Incorrect) San Francisco 49ers: 2nd in NFC West (Incorrect) Seattle Seahawks: 3rd in NFC West (Incorrect) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4th in NFC South (Incorrect) Tennessee Titans: 4th in AFC South (Incorrect, maybe I was drinking too much of the Mariota kool-aid) Washington Redskins: 4th in NFC East (Correct)
Well out of the 32 teams, I got 10 right in predictions. Almost a 1/3 of them.
Playoff seedings
NFC:
1st: New Orleans Saints
2nd: Dallas Cowboys
3rd: Los Angeles Rams
4th: Minnesota Vikings
5th: Chicago Bears
6th: Carolina Panthers
Well as far as seeding, I missed all of them but I managed to get the Saints and the Vikings in the playoffs.
AFC:
1st: Kansas City Chiefs
2nd: New England Patriots
3rd: Pittsburgh Steelers
4th: Indianapolis Colts
5th: Los Angeles Chargers
6th: Cleveland Browns
Same thing for the AFC for seeding but I got only the Chiefs and Patriots right in making the playoffs. Should be noted that I still have the prediction of a Saints vs Patriots Super Bowl in play. I feel good about it.
NFL 100: A Spotlight
If you were born between 1960 and 1995 and watched an NFL game, you more than likely heard the voice of Pat Summerall. From playing football at an early age to his final call at Super Bowl XXXVI in February 2002 his life was football.
Summerall was born in Lake City, Florida on May 10th, 1930. He would play at Columbia High School as a placekicker. As well as football, Summerall played tennis, baseball, and basketball. He would go to college at the University of Arkansas from 1949 to 1951 and played as a placekicker, defensive end and tight end for the Razorbacks.
In the 1952 NFL Draft, Summerall was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 4th Round, with the 45th pick. He would only play for the Lions in the preseason before getting an arm injury. He was traded to the Chicago Cardinals from 1953 to 1957. He would then play some of his well-known football with the New York Giants from 1958 to 1961. He would play in "The Greatest Game Ever Played" in the 1958 NFL Championship Game. In 1959 he was 30/30 in Point After Touchdowns and 20/29 in field goals.
Summerall retired after the 1961 season and would be hired by CBS to work as a color commentator for the network's NFL package. During the early years of his job, he was paired with Chris Schenkel to do Giants games (CBS had their own crews designated to a specific team). He was there for CBS postgame coverage for Super Bowl I. After 1968, he rose to be part of CBS #1 crew, pairing with either Ray Scott and Jack Buck.
After Ray Scott's retirement after Super Bowl VIII, Summerall would take over as the Play-by-Play commentator and would be paired with Tom Brookshier. Brookshier would work with Summerall with during the "This Week In Pro Football" during the late 1960's through the 1970's.
Pat Summerall's most famous broadcast partner would be John Madden. Madden was hired by CBS in 1981. The pairing would call five Super Bowls for CBS. The pairing worked well as both knew football and could explain it well to the average viewer. Summerall's minimalist approach and Madden's coaching knowledge made them one of the best partnerships in Sports TV history.
When FOX won the NFC package in 1994, the fledgling network recruited both Summerall and Madden to front their production. The pair would call three more Super Bowl's for FOX before retiring from broadcasting after Super Bowl XXXVI. Joe Buck would take over as FOX's NFL #1 play-by-play commentator, paired with Troy Aikman with Cris Collinsworth.
As well as calling football games for CBS, Summerall would call CBS coverage of the U.S. Open and the Masters. He brought with him his velvety voice and minimilistic approach to those assignments as well. His best work was truly with the National Football League. His voice was nearly recognizable. If he was covering a game, you knew the game held something important.
Pat Summerall would pass away on April 16th, 2013 due to a cardiac arrest. The Sports World mourned as he was truly "a great loss." He was 82 years old.
Wild Card Picks
Wild Card weekend will start in Houston, Texas and end in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There will be two games on Saturday and two games on Sunday. ESPN and CBS will air the Saturday games while FOX and NBC will air the Sunday games. Here are the picks:
The Bills are entering as the 5th seed in the playoffs while the Texans are the AFC South winners as the 4th seed. Wild Card weekend isn't too kind for the Texans these last few years and if they don't win this game, head coach Bill O'Brien's future definitely is in jeopardy. I'm leaning towards the Bills because of their defense. If they can throw the Texans offense off a bit, they have a distinct advantage. Turnovers will be key to victory for Buffalo as they have a versatile running game with a quarterback to match. While Josh Allen's weapons aren't nearly as superb as DeShaun Watson's, clock management will be also huge too. The Texans are a 2.5 favorite which doesn't bode well for Vegas' confidence in the group. I can't trust the Texans to get a win. I have been wrong before with the Texans.
Tennessee Titans (9-7) @ New England Patriots (12-4) (CBS): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Titans enter in the playoffs as the 6th seed and the Patriots won the AFC East along with the 3rd seed in the playoffs. One of the better match-ups in the weekend. Tennessee has shown that they can win with Ryan Tannehill as quarterback along with a great running back Derrick Henry. The Patriots have won with their strong defense and I feel they can easily make the Titans one-dimensional with them shutting down their running game and forcing Tannehill to beat them. Tom Brady hasn't played particularly well to standards but with the playoffs here, perhaps they can find new energy and win this one. I'd be generally surprise if the Titans win this game.
The Vikings are entering the playoffs as the 6th seed while the Saints won the NFC South as the 3rd seed. Minnesota is entering this postseason with a little chip on their shoulder. They have the underdog card as most experts felt that they wouldn't go far. My take is they have a very good defense and if they can get their offense going and cause havoc on the Saints defense. The key to the game is the health of Dalvin Cook and how well the Vikings can depend on running back Mike Boone if Cook is inactive. I like the Saints in the match-up but the Vikings could make this game a very interesting one.
The Seahawks enter the playoffs as the 5th seed and the Eagles won the NFC East as the 4th seed. Keeping Russell Wilson upright will be huge as the Seahawks offensive line allowed 26 sacks in the previous seven games. Philadelphia got to Wilson six times. The Eagles will need Carson Wentz and the secondary to have a good day to have a chance to get a win as well. I feel with Marshawn Lynch on the team, they will have some inspiration to play well. The talent on paper for Seattle is there but momentum is not there for them as they lost two straight games. I feel safer with Philly if they can get to Wilson early and sack him or hit him. They have the blueprint to get him so why not Philly.
I'll see you guys on Monday for the Wild Card recap. I'll probably update the post with Cardinal Viking's picks as well. Enjoy the games!
-Tom
Update #1: added Cardinal Viking's picks
Update #2: Changed Bill Callahan to Bill O'Brien. Got the right first name but wrong head coach. Sorry Bill Callahan if you're reading this.
Hello readers! The final week of the regular season is finished. What happens now is the National Football League's second season: the playoffs. In this post I'll talk about: an NFL 100 spotlight on the 1972 Miami Dolphins and a recap of the week's games. Let's get to work!
NFL 100 Spotlight
In sports, the word perfect is hard to come by. There's the perfect punch that knocked Joe Frazier out by Muhammad Ali in 1968, the perfect putt by Jack Nicklaus in the 1986 Masters, or Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Only one professional sports team in North American sports achieved a season without a tie or loss was the 1972 Miami Dolphins.
The story of the 1972 Dolphins began on the evening of January 16th, 1972. In only Don Shula's 2nd season as the Dolphins head coach, he lead the Dolphins to their first Super Bowl appearance. The Dolphins were held to 3 points in a 24-3 thrashing by the Dallas Cowboys. It had been Don Shula's 2nd Super Bowl loss in three years. He was the losing head coach in Super Bowl III as the Baltimore Colts head coach.
Don Shula's focus for the 1972 season was clear. The team wouldn't have a loss like that in that Super Bowl and if they had to go undefeated, they would do that such of a thing. As far as actually going undefeated, it probably was the farthest thing from their minds. Winning a championship was their goal.
The closest that the Dolphins came to losing was in a Week 3 match-up against the Minnesota Vikings on the road. Miami was down by 5 points in the closing minutes of the 4th quarter. Quarterback Bob Griese marched the Dolphins down the field and threw a 3-yard pass to Jim Mandich for the game-winning score.
During a Week 5 match-up against the San Diego Chargers, Bob Griese would be lost for a couple of months due to injury. The offense was now fronted by 38 year-old Earl Morrall. He was older than some of the Dolphins head coaches. In fact, they put up a rocking chair beside Morrall's locker. The hardy veteran kept winning games for the Dolphins.
The playoffs for the Dolphins were daunting. In the divisonal round, they would squeak by the Cleveland Browns 20-14. The NFL playoffs rotated by division at that time. As a result, the Dolphins would have to play on the road at Three Rivers Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The week before the AFC championship game was the "Immaculate Reception" play.
The offense struggled during the first half of the AFC Championship Game. Don Shula would make a quarterback change at halftime. Bob Griese would give life to the Dolphins as they would beat the Steelers 21-17 enroute to their consecutive Super Bowl appearance.
Super Bowl VII was Don Shula's 3rd Super Bowl appearance in 5 years. Another loss would be heartbreaking for the coach, but a win would seal the Dolphins place in history. The "No Name Defense" (named after Tom Landry) would hinder the Washington Redskins offense helpless. They forced three turnovers and held Redskins running back Larry Brown to 72 yards. The Dolphins offense scored enough points with two touchdowns: A 28-yard pass play from Griese to Wide Receiver Howard Twilley and a 1-yard rush from Jim Kiick.
In a play that would've made the game 17-0 in a 17-0 season. Garo Ypremian would have the kick blocked and attempted to throw a pass and would misfire. The gaffe would be returned by Redskins player Mike Bass for a 49-yard fumble return for a touchdown. While the Dolphins chance of having a shutout was dead, any chance for the Redskins to win was far from it. Don Shula's redemption was achieved and the Dolphins had completed their mission to go undefeated.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to win every game in their season without a loss or tie. The team wasn't necessarily the best when it came to strength of schedule. The Dolphins in 1973 would win the Super Bowl again but would finish the season with two losses. While they did lose a few games, they played better opponents. You could certainly argue that the 1973 Dolphins were better than the 1972 Dolphins but I feel you have to look at the record.
What made the team special was they were good in every area of a football team. They had one of the best offensive lines in NFL history nicknamed "The Expendables" and had a great defense. It would have to be their running attack that made them special. While they had Larry Czonka and Jim Kiick, they also had a great running back in Mercury Morris. Both Czonka and Morris would get 1000 yards rushing. What made the team special was that they won together, as a team.
Week 17 Recap
In 2017, the first season in the Blogspot era (4th overall season as a blogger) Cardinal Viking (my former roommate) won in picks. In 2018, both me and Cardinal Viking ended up with a tie. As for the 2019 season, we shall see who won in picks this year. Let's get started:
Green Bay 23, Detroit 20: TW: Packers; CV: Lions
The game was fairly ugly but somehow the Packers got some luck and won. Aaron Rodgers finished the game with 323 yards with two touchdowns while throwing an interception late in the 4th quarter. Aaron Jones had a stellar day with 100 rushing yards. David Blough finished the game with 122 yards with an interception. Danny Amendola would throw a 19-yard pass to David Blough for a touchdown. Ty Johnson was the leading rusher for Detroit with 65 yards but Kerryon Johnson ran the ball for 53 yards with a touchdown. With a first-round bye, the Packers needed it.
The Freddie Kitchens era is over. Baker Mayfield would finish the game with 279 yards with three touchdowns but threw three interceptions. Nick Chubb wouldn't get a lot on the ground game as he finished with 41 yards. Andy Dalton finished with 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The leading rusher for the game was Joe Mixon with 162 yards with two touchdowns. Andy Dalton would get 10 yards with a rushing touchdown as well. Cleveland will have to hire their 8th head coach since 2009.
All-time series: Bengals lead 51-41
TW: 1-1; CV: 0-2
Chicago 21, Minnesota 19: TW: Vikings; CV: Bears
Da Bears finish with an 8-8 season. Mitchell Trubisky threw for 207 yards but wouldn't throw for a touchdown nor an interception. Devin Montgomery had a solid day on the ground as he ran for 113 yards with a touchdown. Sean Mannion would start for Minnesota. He finished with 126 yards with two interceptions. Mike Boone would start the game at running back, finishing with 148 yards with a touchdown. It was a fairly meaningless game for the Vikings which have a tough road ahead going into the playoffs, traveling to New Orleans in the Wild-Card round.
All-time series: Vikings lead 60-56-2
TW: 1-2; CV: 1-2
LA Chargers 21, Kansas City 31: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The crowd made more noise when the Dolphins beat the Patriots than their own team beat the Chargers. Philip Rivers threw the ball for 281 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Certainly less than their previous meeting in Mexico City. Melvin Gordon finished the game with 46 yards with a touchdown. Patrick Mahomes threw for 174 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Mahomes also ran for 21 yards. Damien Williams was the leading rusher in the game with 124 yards with two touchdowns. Kansas City will have a 1st-round bye.
All-time series: Chiefs lead 63-56-1
TW: 2-2; CV: 2-2
Miami 27, New England 24: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
For the first time since 2009, the Patriots will play on Wild-Card weekend. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw the ball for 320 yards with a touchdown. Fitzpatrick would also get 15 yards rushing with a touchdown as well. Patrick Laird was the leading rusher for Miami with 21 yards. Tom Brady finished the game with 221 yards with two touchdowns with an interception. Sony Michel ran the ball for 74 yards with a touchdown. The Patriots will play the Titans next weekend.
All-time series: Dolphins lead 56-53
TW: 2-3; CV: 2-3
NY Jets 13, Buffalo 6: TW: Bills; CV: Jets
It was a meaningless game. Sam Darnold threw the ball for 199 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Le'Veon Bell was the leading rusher in the game with 41 yards. Matt Barkley started for Buffalo and finished with 232 yards with two interceptions, Josh Allen would enter the game but would only get 5 yards passing. Ian McKenzie ran for 30 yards on two carries while Frank Gore ran for 26 yards. Buffalo will go to Houston next weekend.
All-time series: Bills lead 63-56
TW: 2-4; CV: 3-3
New Orleans 42, Carolina 10: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
They may have not gotten a first-round bye but they're quite possibly an underrated team heading into the playoffs. Drew Brees threw for 253 yards with three touchdowns. Latavius Murray ran for 61 yards while Alvin Kamara ran for 39 yards with two touchdowns. Kyle Allen started for Carolina and threw for 295 yards while throwing an interception. Will Grier would see some action as well but would only throw for four yards with an interception. Christian McCaffrey ran for 26 yards with a touchdown while gaining 72 yards. The Saints will host the Vikings next weekend.
All-time series: Saints lead 26-25
TW: 3-4; CV: 4-3
Atlanta 28, Tampa Bay 22 (F/OT): TW: Falcons; CV: Buccaneers
The Buccaneers season finished much like how it started: with an interception. Matt Ryan threw for 313 yards with a touchdown. Devonta Freeman ran for 58 yards while not scoring a touchdown. Jameis Winston threw the ball for 201 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ronald Jones ran for 106 yards with no touchdowns. Deion Jones put the icing on the cake with a pick-six into the Overtime period.
All-time series: Falcons lead 28-25
TW: 4-4; CV: 4-4
Washington 16, Dallas 47: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
The Bruce Allen Era is over in Washington but it doesn't help that they got hung 47 against the Cowboys. Case Keenum threw for 206 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Adrian Peterson ran the ball for 78 yards. Dak Prescott had a good game with 303 yards with four touchdowns. Ezekiel Elliot ran for 122 yards with a touchdown. Where was this Cowboys team a week ago?
All-time series: Cowboys lead 73-45-2
TW: 5-4; CV: 5-4
Indianapolis 20, Jacksonville 38: TW: Colts; CV: Colts
Minshewmania returns! Jacoby Brissett threw for 162 yards but didn't throw a touchdown pass in the game. Marlon Mack ran for 77 yards while scoring two touchdowns. Gardner Minshew turned in one of his better performances of the season, finishing with 295 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Ryquell Armstead ran for 33 yards but didn't get a touchdown. Give Gardner some defense next season!
All-time series: Colts lead 24-14
TW: 5-5; CV: 5-5
Arizona 24, LA Rams 31: TW: Rams; CV: Cardinals
It was a winning season for the Rams, at least. Kyler Murray threw for 325 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Kenyan Drake ran the ball for 60 yards with a touchdown. Jared Goff threw the ball for 319 yards with three touchdowns. Todd Gurley was the leading rusher for the Rams with 68 yards while Malcolm Brown ran for 26 yards with a touchdown. Final game at LA Coliseum for the Rams.
All-time series: Rams lead 43-38-2
TW: 6-5; CV: 5-6
Oakland 15, Denver 16: TW: Broncos; CV: Raiders
Bittersweet moment for the Raiders but they move to better pastures in Las Vegas next week. Derek Carr threw the ball for 391 yards with a touchdown. DeAndre Washington ran the ball for 77 yards. Drew Lock threw for 177 yards with a touchdown pass. Philip Lindsay ran for 53 yards. Not much else to say about this one.
All-time series: 65-54-2
TW: 7-5; CV: 5-7
Philadelphia 34, NY Giants 17: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
It was a beautiful moment to watch Jerry Jones turn away from the television knowing his team won't be in the playoffs. Carson Wentz did fine in the game with 289 yards with a touchdown. Boston Scott ran for 54 yards with three touchdowns while Miles Sanders ran for 52 yards. Scott would also get 84 yards receiving. Daniel Jones threw for 301 yards with a touchdown while throwing an interception. Saquon Barkley ran for 92 yards with a touchdown. Philly hosts the Seahawks next week.
All-time series: Eagles lead 87-85-2
TW: 8-5; CV: 6-7
Tennessee 35, Houston 14: TW: Titans; CV: Texans
Mike Vrabel gets to play/coach against his former team in the Wild Card round next week. Ryan Tannehill threw for 198 yards with a couple of touchdowns. Derrick Henry had a stellar day on the ground with 211 yards with three touchdowns, his longest run was from 53 yards. AJ McCarron would get the start for Houston with DeShaun Watson resting for next week. McCarron threw for 225 yards with an interception. McCarron ran for 39 yards with a touchdown while Taiwan Jones was the leading rusher with 40 yards. The Titans go to Foxboro next weekend. Houston will host the Bills next weekend as well
It was an icing on the cake to a great season. Devlin Hodges didn't do much as he threw for 95 yards while not throwing a touchdown. Benny Snell ran for 91 yards with a touchdown. Robert Griffin III would get the start, as to be expected, and threw for 96 yards while throwing a pick. He would also get 50 yards rushing. Justice Hill would get a rushing touchdown while getting 39 yards. Gus Edwards had a great day on the ground with 130 yards. Baltimore has the first-round bye.
All-time series: Steelers lead 28-24
TW: 10-5; CV: 7-8
San Francisco 26, Seattle 21: TW: 49ers; CV: Seahawks
The final game of the regular season was entertaining. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 285 yards with zero touchdowns or interceptions. Raheem Mostert ran for 57 yards with two touchdowns while Deebo Samuel ran for 33 yards with a touchdown. Russell Wilson threw for 233 yards with two touchdowns. Travis Homer ran the ball for 62 yards. The game also saw the return of Marshawn Lynch to Seattle as the veteran ran for 34 yards with a touchdown. As well as a bag of skittles to go along with it. San Francisco will have a first-round bye while the Seahawks will travel to Philadelphia.
All-time series: 26-17
TW: 11-5; CV: 7-9
The Records (By Week & Year):
Cardinal Viking:
2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 11-4-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-4
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 2-11
Week 11: 12-2
Week 12: 9-5
Week 13: 8-8
Week 14: 9-7
Week 15: 10-6
Week 16: 11-5
Week 17: 7-9
Overall: 151-104-1
My record:
2012: 164-90-2
2013: 162-92-1
2014: 172-83-1
2017: 164-92
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 12-3-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 11-5
Week 4: 8-7
Week 5: 5-10
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 7-7
Week 8: 14-1
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8
Week 11: 10-4
Week 12: 10-4
Week 13: 10-6
Week 14: 9-7
Week 15: 10-6
Week 16: 12-4
Week 17: 11-5
Overall: 161-94-1
Looks like I won this year in picks! When it comes to prizes, there are none, just bragging rights. In truth, win or lose, I still technically kind of win since I write the blog. Sorry Cardinal Viking, better luck next year. Anyway, look out for the Wild Card Picks post on Friday.
Hello readers! The last week of the National Football League's regular season is upon us. There might not be so much playoff drama as past years but keep an eye on seedings in both conferences. It can make a difference for those who will play on the road and those who will play at home. In this post I'll have the latest playoff picture, an NFL 100 spotlight on the 1985 Bears, and my picks for the Week 17 games. Let's get to work!
Playoff Picture: Week 17
Let's start with the NFC:
1st seed: San Francisco 49ers (12-3) (clinched playoff berth)
2nd seed: Green Bay Packers (12-3) (clinched NFC North)
3rd seed: New Orleans Saints (12-3) (clinched NFC South)
4th seed: Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)
5th seed: Seattle Seahawks (11-4) (clinched playoff berth)
6th seed: Minnesota Vikings (10-5) (clinched playoff berth)
Wild card:
Minnesota @ New Orleans
Seattle @ Philadelphia
Still alive:
Dallas Cowboys (7-8)
Eliminated:
Everyone else not mentioned... too lazy.
For the Eagles to win the NFC East they need to win or tie or Cowboys loss or tie. Same thing for Cowboys. The 49ers can win the NFC West with a win or tie. Same for Seahawks.
AFC:
1st seed: Baltimore Ravens (13-2) (clinched home-field advantage and AFC North)
2nd seed: New England Patriots (12-3) (clinched AFC East)
3rd seed: Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) (clinched AFC West)
4th seed: Houston Texans (10-5) (clinched AFC South)
5th seed: Buffalo Bills (clinched playoff berth)
6th seed: Tennessee Titans
Wild card:
Tennessee @ Kansas City
Buffalo @ Houston
Still alive:
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7), Oakland Raiders (7-8)
Eliminated:
Everyone else not mentioned.
The Raiders are still alive but need a lot of help. Help such as: Raiders win + Steelers loss + Titans loss + Colts win. Steelers can get in with a win + Titans loss or tie.
NFL 100: A Spotlight
In 1963, George Halas and the Chicago Bears won their 8th NFL championship. It would be Halas's last championship as the head coach of the Bears. He would retire after the 1968 season and would remain with the team as an executive until his death in 1983. One of his best decisions before he died was hiring his former player, Mike Ditka, as the new head coach in 1982.
The Bears after 1963 were in a steady decline that lasted for 12 years. From 1964 to 1976 they would endure their worst stretch in franchise history, achieving only 4 winning seasons during that stretch. Their fortunes were starting to change when the team drafted Walter Payton. After two playoff appearances and two head coach firings, Walter Payton was in the climax of his career when Mike Ditka was hired.
One of the masterminds in the team's coaching was Buddy Ryan. Ryan had been the defensive coordinator for the Bears since the 1978 season. Within reason, he felt that he was destined to be the next head coach in line after Neill Armstrong's firing after the 1981 season. Perhaps the hiring of Ditka left Ryan with some bitter feelings as the two didn't get along during the three years they were coaches.
Mike Ditka's first year as head coach in 1982 didn't result in success as the team finished with 3-6 in the strike shortened season. Their luck was turning as Mike Singletary was molding the Bears defense into one of the best as the Bears finished with a 8-8 record in 1983.
The Bears reached the playoffs in 1984 with a 10-6 record. They won their first playoff game since the 1963 championship against the defending conference champion Washington Redskins. The victory costed them with a Jim McMahon, the Bears quarterback, with an injury. Without McMahon, the Bears were shutout against the San Francisco 49ers 23-0 in the NFC championship game.
The message for the 1985 Bears was clear. Nearly three seasons and a playoff appearance under Mike Ditka's belt, it felt that the Bears were destined for a championship run. The offense lead by Jim McMahon and Walter Payton was in the best shape. They were overshadowed by the defense lead by Buddy Ryan.
During the first part of the season, the defense would have to rely on the offense to win games as the Bears defense was still trying to find its footing. One of those wins was the "Viking Miracle" as an injured McMahon lead the Bears to a comeback win on the road against the Vikings. After that game the message was clear to the defense "you have to work to make it happen."
The season would feature low scores against the opponents. During a game against the 49ers, Mike Ditka employed William "The Fridgerator" Perry as a fullback. The Bears won easily 26-10 in Candlestick Park. One of the biggest games for the defense was the 44-0 thrashing against the Dallas Cowboys (whom the Bears had not won against since 1971). Mike Ditka was an assistant coach and player with Cowboys head coach Tom Landry. The loss would be the Cowboys worst loss in franchise history.
What made the Bears defense special was Buddy Ryan's conceived defense called the "46 defense" named after strong safety Doug Plank. The idea of the defense was to put eight men in the box, six men on the line of scrimmage. The result was to cause as much pressure and chaos to the offense as much as possible. NFL offenses at that time were more on a play-action style that needed time for the play to develop. You couldn't get enough time when there were six defenders heading toward your quarterback. It would be Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, Otis Wilson, Wilber Marshall, William Perry, and Gary Fencik that created such pressure. Offenses had no answer for it. If you blocked or double-teamed one player, it would leave holes for other players to get in.
The Bears would finish 15-1 with their lone loss coming against the Miami Dolphins. It would be Dan Marino that would show the world the 46 defense's Achilles heel. The weakness of the defense was over committing too many people to the line of scrimmage. If you had enough time and some empty spaces off to the sides of the field, you had a chance to beat your team deep. Nevertheless the Bears would trounce the competition in the playoffs.
They would get back-to-back playoff shutouts against the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams with scores of 21-0 and 24-0 respectively. Their performance in Super Bowl XX was one for the ages. They easily handled the AFC Champion New England Patriots 46-10 (perhaps ironic that they scored 46). The victory would come at a cost.
Prior to the game Buddy Ryan would accept a head coaching position with the Philadelphia Eagles. His players would pay their respects and play a defensive game for the ages. Buddy Ryan wouldn't find the same success as getting to a Super Bowl as Eagles head coach, neither did Mike Ditka after Buddy Ryan left.
The 1985 Bears were truly a one-year wonder team. Prior to the year they couldn't find an offense to get them over the hump. After 1985 they struggled to find an identity on defense when Buddy Ryan left. The Bears would lose to the Washington Redskins 27-13 in the 1986 playoffs. While they might've had one great year with one of the greatest defenses in NFL history, their place in NFL history has to be mentioned in high respect, even from a Packer fan.
Week 17 Picks
All 32 teams will play on Sunday. There will be eight early games, seven late games, and a Sunday night game. Both FOX and CBS will have double-headers while NBC will have the Sunday night game. Here are the picks:
Green Bay (12-3) @ Detroit (3-11-1) (FOX): TW: Packers; CV: Lions
The Packers beat the Vikings and the Lions lost to the Broncos last week. At one point the Lions were 2-1-1 going into a game against the Packers. After that game, the Lions went 1-10 the rest of the way. With the possibility of playing for the #1 seed in the playoffs, I feel the Packers will be focused on trying to get a win and take care of business on their end. I can't trust David Blough to suddenly become Matthew Stafford reborn and absolutely torch the Packers defense that surrendered only 10 points last week to the Vikings. I'll place my hope on the Pack.
Both teams lost last week as the Browns lost to the Ravens and the Bengals lost to the Dolphins. Disappointing would be an understatement for the Cleveland Browns season. They can salvage it with a win which would put them at 7-9. It certainly could be Freddie Kitchen's last game as head coach. In general I feel the Browns have more talent on both sides of the ball and the Bengals defense is not that great to begin with. I'll take the Brownies.
Chicago (7-8) @ Minnesota (10-5) (FOX): TW: Vikings; CV: Bears
Both teams lost last week as the Bears lost to the Chiefs and the Vikings lost to the Packers. Minnesota's placement in the playoffs won't likely change win or lose. If Dalvin Cook doesn't play in this game it could be very difficult for the Vikes to get anything from the ground game, as evident from their performance against Green Bay. I'll take the Vikings based off of their quarterback play and defensive performance. This can't possibly be like their previous meeting in Week 4.
LA Chargers (5-10) @ Kansas City (11-4) (CBS): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Chargers lost to the Raiders and the Chiefs beat the Bears last week. Kansas City has a unique opportunity to get a first round bye with the possiblilty with a Patriots loss (assuming the Chiefs win). Philip Rivers has been a turnover machine this season and will likely continue into the last game of the season. I'm going with the Chiefs based on that if Patrick Mahomes does get rest in the game, Matt Moore could get some playing time and he has done well in Mahomes' stead when he was injured. Its also a safe bet.
Miami (4-11) @ New England (12-3) (CBS): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
Both teams had wins last week as the Dolphins beat the Bengals and the Patriots beat the Bills. It could be over by halftime to be honest. Tom Brady would have to have a terrible game for the Dolphins to have a shot to win. I don't really see it happening as they have a capable running game to match.
The Jets beat the Steelers and the Bills lost to the Patriots last week. It's a meaningless game for the Bills as they could lose and it won't affect their playoff positioning. Could Sam Darnold cause a bit of a shakeup in the Bills momentum going into the playoffs? It's possible but the Bills defense is pretty good and in the match-up with the Jets, I tend to lean towards Buffalo. Just a hunch.
The Saints beat the Titans and the Panthers lost to the Colts last week. As for resting the Saints starters, the answer is no. With an opportunity to get homefield-advantage in the playoffs is a must to get a win and hope for the best. Carolina could make it an interesting game but their quarterback situation is somewhat of a mess and their defense is suspect. I'll take Naw'lins.
Atlanta (6-9) @ Tampa Bay (7-8) (FOX): TW: Falcons; CV: Buccaneers
The Falcons beat the Jaguars and the Buccaneers lost to the Texans. Tampa missed an opportunity to get at least a guaranteed .500 season last week against the Texans. Atlanta is 5-2 since going 1-7 to start the season. The news of Dan Quinn returning could either mean good news or bad news for Falcons fans. Jameis Winston will throw touchdowns but its almost a guarantee that he will throw more, let alone equal, number of interceptions. I'll go on a whim and take Atlanta.
Washington (3-12) @ Dallas (7-8) (FOX): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
The Redskins lost to the Giants and the Cowboys lost to the Eagles last week. Dallas has underachieved this season and the worst thing they could do is lose at home in the season finale when they had potential to get a win and a possible playoff spot. I'll take Dallas because they will play angry and just crush the Redskins.
Indianapolis (7-8) @ Jacksonville (5-10) (CBS): TW: Colts; CV: Colts
The Colts beat the Panthers and the Jaguars lost to the Falcons last week. Indianapolis has had a good season without Andrew Luck at quarterback. Jacksonville has potential to build around Gardner Minshew. I want to take Jacksonville in the game but I feel the Colts will win based on their better talent on offense. Best of luck, Doug Marrone.
The Cardinals beat the Seahawks and the Rams lost to the 49ers last week. It'll be the last game at the Los Angeles Coliseum as the Rams will move into a new stadium next season. The Rams have had a disappointing season after making it to the Super Bowl last year. They can get some pride back with a win against the hapless Cardinals. I'm leaning towards the Rams as they have better talent on both sides of the ball. Hard to say if Larry Fitzgerald will come back for another season.
The Raiders beat the Chargers and the Broncos beat the Lions last week. The last game where the Raiders franchise will use the "Oakland" moniker (unless the football gods give them the luck of lucks). Josh Jacobs is listed as doubtful in playing in the game. As much as I want to believe that DeAndre Washington is a capable running back, I like the Broncos with their better run game and decent defense.
Philadelphia (8-7) @ NY Giants (4-11) (FOX): TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
Both teams won last week as the Eagles beat the Cowboys and the Giants beat the Redskins. While the Cowboys are playing for their playoff lives, the Eagles will try to hold off the Giants. All the Eagles have to do is win and they will be in. New York could make it an interesting game as the spoiler but the leadership and confidence of Carson Wentz is hard to beat. I'll take the Iggles.
The Titans lost to the Saints and the Texans beat the Buccaneers last week. Ryan Tannehill and company have an opportunity to get into the playoffs during a season where it seemed that Marcus Mariota was leading them down to a possible losing season. If they lose they can still get in with a Steelers loss. I'll take the Titans on a whim with Derrick Henry playing well.
The Steelers lost to the Jets and the Ravens beat the Browns last week. It's possible for Pittsburgh to get a win but they need some help, such as a Titans loss, in order to get into the playoffs. Baltimore will likely be resting their players such as Lamar Jackson so it will mean Robert Griffin III will get a start. I like RGIII in the match-up against either Devlin Hodges or Mason Rudolph. It seems stacked against the Steelers which doesn't bode well for them, I'll take B-More.
San Francisco (12-3) @ Seattle (11-4) (NBC): TW: 49ers; CV: Seahawks
The 49ers beat the Rams and the Seahawks lost to the Cardinals. Seattle missed an opportunity to be in a better position with that loss to the Cardinals last week. They played poor against them which doesn't bode well for them against a 49ers team that looks to capture the #1 seed in the NFC. I'm taking the 49ers as they want it more than Seattle in my opinion. It'll be a shootout but I feel the 49ers defense will hold off the Seahawks onslaught.
Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com)
CBS Early:
LA Chargers @ Kansas City
Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon
CBS Late:
Tennessee @ Houston
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo
FOX Early:
Chicago @ Minnesota
Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth
FOX Late:
Philadelphia @ NY Giants
Thom Brennamen, Chris Spielman
For more information on which game is being played in your area, check out: NFL 2019 Week 17 Maps
The Records (By Week & Year):
Cardinal Viking:
2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 11-4-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 7-8
Week 5: 9-6
Week 6: 7-7
Week 7: 10-4
Week 8: 11-4
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 2-11
Week 11: 12-2
Week 12: 9-5
Week 13: 8-8
Week 14: 9-7
Week 15: 10-6
Week 16: 11-5
Overall: 144-95-1
My record:
2012: 164-90-2
2013: 162-92-1
2014: 172-83-1
2017: 164-92
2018: 156-98-2
2019:
Week 1: 12-3-1
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 11-5
Week 4: 8-7
Week 5: 5-10
Week 6: 9-5
Week 7: 7-7
Week 8: 14-1
Week 9: 8-6
Week 10: 5-8
Week 11: 10-4
Week 12: 10-4
Week 13: 10-6
Week 14: 9-7
Week 15: 10-6
Week 16: 12-4
Overall: 150-89-1
See you guys on Monday for the Week 17 recap post!
